The Court
of Appeal, Lagos Division, has affirmed the September 30, 2015, judgment of the
Federal High Court in Lagos which convicted three men of participating in
terrorism and belonging to the Boko Haram sect.

In a
judgment by Justice Y.B. Nimpar, the appellate court upheld the decision of the
lower court, which sentenced Ali Mohammed, Adamu Karumi and Ibrahim Usman, to
25 years’ imprisonment each.

They were
arraigned in November 2013 with 14 others before Justice Ibrahim Buba, who
found them guilty in September 2014.

Displeased
with their conviction and imprisonment, the convicts approached the Court of
Appeal, seeking to overturn the judgment.

But the
Lagos State Ministry of Justice, which charged them to court and secured their
convictions, said in a statement yesterday by its Public Relations Officer,
Mrs. Bola Akingbade, that the appeal was dismissed for lacking in merit.

According
to the ministry, the convicts had contended that they were charged and
convicted under an inapplicable law.

They had
also contended that the 25 years’ imprisonment imposed on them was excessive
and urged the appeal court to reverse their conviction.

But the
appellate court refused their prayers.

Mohammed, Karumi and Usman were
arraigned on eight counts in November 2013 before Justice Buba along with 14
other suspected Boko Haram members.

Those charged with them were Bala
Haruna, Idris Ali, Mohammed Murtala and Kadiri Mohammed and Mustapha Daura.